Expert Forum on ICT Sector Indicators and Benchmark Regulation for SAARC NRAs Benchmarking broadband/data prices Singapore June 15 2008 Helani Galpaya galpaya@lirne.net Client Logo
1 Table Of Contents Indicators to analyze performance Using indicator data for benchmarking some problems What can you (the NRA) collect? Some new benchmarking tools that may help you do your job better/easier
2 Access to the high-speed data services is important For the economy Enables Asian countries to provide off-shore data process/bpo services Contributes to economic growth [revenue, jobs, taxes.direct, indirect] Availability and accessibility of broadband a stated objective of many governments For the consumer To access a world of knowledge on the WWW For operators To be able to provide basic services To offer new services (IP TV, VOIP etc)
3 No pre-defined methodology Mobile has baskets Put various usage components into basket Calculate price based on assumptions For broadband/data, no such basket How many hours of use per month? At what speed?
4 Start by tracking multiple, commonly used packages/services. Based on speed and user Bandwidth, Price, Quality (hopefully) Higher Lower 256 kbps Residential 2 Mbps Business 256 kbps Business 2 Mbps leased lines: 2km (tail) link, 100km link Residential Business Corporate (Operators, Banks, IT companies)
Done every 6 months 5 For each package Available in capital city For Leased lines: Price of incumbent (~ largest operator) BB for residential/business: cheapest price Not inclusive of Installation, modem/router charges Any discounts VAT or other taxes Prices in local currency, converted to USD Annual (leased lines often for a year. So others also for a year, though monthly easier to fathom) Technology neutral (cable = xdsl=wimax as long as speed is same) all you can eat (i.e. unlimited download/time) offers only
6 OECD collects and reports more extensively. Publish Multiple packages (as many as 6) for each country + country average We don t. Limited resources Separates residential vs. business use Residential lines many different packages With various bandwidth, separated by up/down speeds For leased lines the same measures as ours 2 Mbps 2km 2 Mbps 100km Reports as USD and USD PPP We can do this.
7 Feb 2008 data, based on this methodology Country 2 2Mbps, 2km DPLC 3 (p.a 4 ) 2Mbps, 100km DPLC 5 (p.a) 2Mbps broadband business (p.a) 6 256kbps broadband business (p.a) 6 256kbps broadband residential (p.a) 6 Afghanistan 12,000 7 N/O 8 N/O N/O N/O Nepal 55,393 9 2,760,290 9 57,385 10 8,608 10 6,695 10 Bangladesh 23,393 11 N/O N/O 8,016 12 2,680 13 Pakistan 49 14 2,437 14 N/O 964 15 964 15 India 432 16 4.447 16 3,779 17 241 18 379 17 Bhutan 2,438 19 18,283 19 4,540 20 303 21 303 21 Sri Lanka 3,249 22 6,350 23 556 24 250 25 250 25 Maldives 18,803 26 40,756 27 16,619 28 2,091 29 379 30 EU average 358 31-164 31 119 31 119 31
8 But look at how many footnotes are required.mainly due to lack of standard 1. Prices quoted in local currencies converted to US dollars based on rates found at: http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic at 10/02/2008. Annual prices for a Domestic Private Leased Circuit not inclusive of installation charges, modem/ router charges, any discounts, VAT or other taxes 2. Countries are ranked according to GDP per capita obtained from the World Economic Outlook database, Oct 2007 3. Also known as a tail cost 4. p.a = per annum 5. Cost of tail charges + 96km link charge 6. The package chosen are those that have an unlimited download capacity, in the event this package was not found the closest available offering was used. 7. Rates obtained from ATRA, 2007 data as reported in the earlier document, to be found at http://www.lirneasia.net/wp-contents//uploads/2007/09/bbenchmarks-page1-v4.pdf 8. N/O- No offering was available at time of publication 9. Nepal Telecom, http://www.net.np/tariff/int_tariff_new.php 10. Radius Communications Pvt Ltd, http://www.radiusnp.com/index.php 11. BTTB, for a 5km link, http://www.bttb.net.bd/rates.php#broadband 12. Grameen Cybernet Ltd, Fibre-Optic Broadband, http://www.citechco.net/pro_int.php 13. Agni Systems Ltd, Premium package, guaranteed minimum speed is 256kbps, http://www.agni.com/products/fiber.php 14. PTCL, http://www.ptcl.com.pk/contentb.php?nid=43 15. PTCL, DSL 1MB unlimited package, http://www.ptcl.com.pk/contentp?nid=47 16. BSNL, http://www.bsnl.co.in/service/leased_tariff.htm 17. BSNL, http://www.bsnl.co.in/service/dataone_tariff.htm 18. MTNL, TriB Unlimited, http://www.mtnldelhi.in/broadband/triband_tariff.htm 19. Bhutan Telecom, http://www.druknet.bt/btelecom/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&itemid=62 20. Bhutan Telecom, DSL 15000, Data limit of 12GB, http://www.druknet.bt/btelecom/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&itemid=112 21. Bhutan Telecom, DSL 1000, Data limit of 500MB, Does not discriminate between corporate and home users, http://www.druknet.bt/btelecom/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&itemid=112 22. SLT, for a 0-33km link 23. SLT, for a 33-99km link 24. Dialog, WiMax, 2MB Corporate package, http://www.dialog.lk/en/broadband/product/wimax.html 25. SLT, ADSL Office, Home Express, http://www.slt.lk/data/forbusiness/115adsl.htm 26. Dhiraagu, http://www.dhiraagu.com.mv/tariffs/dhivehinet.php#dedicatedaccess 27. As per data obtained from the earlier document, to be found at http://www.lirneasia.net/wpcontents//uploads/2007/09/bbenchmarks-page1-v4.pdf, Data not available for this quarter. 28. Focus Infocomm, ROL corporate access 2MB, http://www.rol.net.mv/downloads/roltariffsheet.pdf, Dhiraagu does not have a 2MB package with an unlimited offering. 29. Dhiraagu, Biz Unlimited package, http://www.dhiraagu.com.mv/tariffs/dhiveinet.php#broadband 30. Focus Infocomm, ROL broadband 256 value for homes, http://www.rol.net.mv/downloads/roltariffsheet.pdf
9 Clearly modifications are needed Mobile internet is not included But its important Huge BOP growth coming from mobile internet (e.g. India) Over time, the minimum speed can increase OECD no longer has 256 kbps minimum : goes up to nearly 64 Mbps all you can eat (i.e. unlimited download) packages is increasingly not the norm in Asia Need way to compare limited download packages But how limited? 1Gb per month? 2 GB per month? 20 hours per month? Other? Why? Should we forget all these packages? Just do price / Mbps? Why not? (OECD reports this, along with other measures)
Can we agree on methodology Can you track and report this data? 10